Caught in Time's Hourglass
by G. Sun
Summary: Our sassy teen Mizuki finds herself in a predicament out of her control. She already establishes herself as an outsider when she steps into the city OF Grand Palace. There she re-encounters mysterious "friend" who is strangely attached to her. What will Mizuki discover about the strange phenomenon of the citizens of Grand Palace and about herself? Read after THIEF OF HEARTS
1. A New Journey Begins

**Time for one major Mizuki story, I hope you enjoy it!**

"Greetings Mizuki," says the all-too familiar voice to my right. Gazing around the empty street, I try track down the source of his voice until I find Odri standing behind me in the middle of the road. The green street sign reads: _Luther Drive. _I pass by this street on the way to work all the time.

"Crap! You scared me," I step back with a hand on my pounding chest. "What's up?"

"I've missed you," he says as if stuck in a daydream, looking at me but _not looking at me-_more like inside me.

"What was that? I could've sworn you said you missed me."

"That I did."

"But we only met-once. How could you miss me?"

"I do not lie Mizuki." As he sputters out this nonsense, he takes a step towards me and is way too close for my comfort zone. Why does he sound like the guys from Nicholas Sparks books? I used to read those like crazy before I got sent to Tokyo. "All I could do was dream about you."

"Odri, you're starting to freak me out," I warn him. I tried to sound intimidating but it came out like a squeak. "Get away from me." He suddenly snatches my arm. "Let me go."

"Never."

All I can see is darkness now. I reach over the night table, feeling for the lamp, and quickly slam the switch on. The ordinary décor of the hotel room is illuminated and replaces Luther Drive of my dream. Thank God that was only a dream because that was too freaky, I haven't seen Odri in months. I stare out the open window and listen to the annoying splattering of the raindrops coming inside. Jesus this storm just won't let up and it's five in the morning, sheesh. I throw the sheets off me, climb out of bed and feel the world spinning. Vertigo and exhaustion overcomes me as I wobble over to the drenched window."Too fast," I mumble to myself. I put my butt on the window's handle because I can't close it with my own two hands; it gets stuck sometimes, it's not like I have the strength of a five year old and I'm really tired! "Thank God it was just a dream." I haven't dreamt about Odri in a long time, I wonder why it's such a big deal in my subconscious now.

When the overcast sunlight creeps through the blinds and wakes me up again, I get out of bed for good. I stretch my arms, yawn so obnoxiously that I'm glad I'm living alone, and get into my wardrobe after a hasty shower. With the money from the missions Erick assigns me, I went shopping and bought a cute, puffy, short-sleeved top, tangerine capris, and dark green Vans; finally something new in my wardrobe. I shake my damp flat hair out in hopes that it'll miraculously become voluminous this second. But it's just going to stay the way it is because shit like that never happens. I run my fingers through the split endings, shaking my head disappointedly-a brush won't be able to save this unkempt mop called my hair. Eventually I have to take care of this-lately I haven't had the time to do anything for myself. The rain has kept me locked up inside, except yesterday when it stopped for three hours, and I spent all my money on the new clothes I bought. It's all because of that damn thief.

Yeah, she got away and it's all my fault. I didn't stop her and she got away. I'm not too surprised that she passed through Mia, after all she's a baby, but Risa! That girl screams "ancient, fighting warrior" but the thief slipped away from her grasp too. She's too tricky for any of us and that really pisses me off but we'll be ready soon. Whatever, when Erick finds her again, we'll nail that slippery wench to a fricken' tree, but for now it's time for work.

' ' '

I shake the water off my drenched umbrella as I enter Erick's "office" and close the door. "Afternoon Erick."

"Hello," responds Erick, sitting as his desk with stacks of papers as usual. Nothing about him ever changes-his facial hair, the same trench coat, the same everything-and he's _always _here. I'm convinced that he lives here-how does somebody live like that? It's depressing.

"What do you have to me today?" I ask cheerfully as I take my seat in front of him. "Notice my new outfit?"

"Yes, very fashionable. I do have something for you," he takes a paper from his desk and proceeds to read from it. "I got this request about a month ago and I didn't know which one of you girls could fix the problem. This one is a little odd."

"Define 'a little odd'."

"It's one of the stranger ones I've received. It's anonymous and it reads, 'please save our town. We've been cursed and you must find a way to remove the curse.' Based on your latest mission, I'm not sure I should be assigning this," his tone becomes austere all of a sudden.

"Oh come on! I can handle this, I don't even need to wait on Risa or Mia," I insist, slamming the desk as if I bear a grudge against it. "That mission and this one is totally different, I got this." He scratches his scruffy chin and gives me a tentative expression. "I got this."

"How sure are you?"

"500% sure man. I won't let you down, I swear."

"You're too young to be swearing," he leans back and rolls away from the desk. I roll my eyes at his reprimand. He's really serious about these mission things we're doing, I've never seen him not relaxed 'cause he's chill about everything. That's probably because we've never failed until the other day but most of the time he acts like he's naturally high. "Fine, I'll let you have it."

"You won't regret it!"

"Right. The other mission I gave you about the queen-"

"Stop talkin' about what's in the past," I shoot up from my seat excitedly. I hate it when people remind of my past blunders-they're done and over with. He shrugs stiffly, taking out a clear chip for me to use.

"Good luck, you'll need it."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Instantly sensing the location of the portal, I snatch my umbrella from out of the corner and hurry out into the rain. I crash into a girl but I'm the only one that nearly falls. "Damn it, my bad-oh Risa."

The hooded girl nods sullenly. "That again?" I wonder aloud, picking up my umbrella and raising it over both our heads.

"What," she mutters, rather than asks, in a bothered, older sister tone.

"Are you okay? You seem a little distant."

"I would rather not discuss it."

"But we're kinda friends now, so whenever you want to talk to me, I'll be there you know." Sometimes why do I bother with Risa? She's so introverted and reclusive and never wants to talk to me-and here I thought that after the situation about the Chaos Emeralds I would finally have a friend here. I'm better off trying to talk to Mia. "See you around, I guess." Am I destined to not have any friends? I think I'm better off alone. I take out the picture of my mom and dad, me and Haruki and then remember Grey and the stupid Heartless Queen. It takes all my willpower to not crumble up the picture and throw it down the sewers.


	2. The Invisible Barrier

In the near distance, there's an ornate sign that reads: _Welcome to Grand Palace! _As I make my way up the foggy hill, I see through the dense clouds above. Grand Palace has a rocky terrain but it's not totally barren. It's similar to West Metropolis when I speak in modern technology terms but it has a European twist to it, structure-wise. How could this place be cursed? Hell, it almost reminds me of Tokyo. The streets are cobblestones but there are modern cars driving around. Looking up to the overcast sky are skyscrapers stretching through the clouds and birds navigating through the fog. Then I bump into something firm without paying attention. "Watch where you're going!" scolds the stranger. When I lift my head to apologize, I don't expect to see a little kid huffing up at me.

"Sorry."

"'Sorry'? You made me drop my ice-cream!"

"Again kid," I resist the urge to say brat, "Sorry, it was my fault." Before the brat could continue, I keep to the sidewalks while observing Grand Palace's pretty water fountains. Maybe there's a palace that's in the heart of the city and that's why it's called that. Oh let's face it-I don't know what I'm doing here. I take a seat on a bench in the pedestrian area in the middle of the street. So I'm supposed to eradicate a curse in this world I know nothing about and I don't even know how to start. I should've let Risa take this mission, she could handle this. Ok, putting yourself down Mizuki is not the way to go, I've got to keep a clear head and be aware of your surroundings. "Hey you!" someone calls out to me. I raise my head to a twenty year-old ginger who looks like she's dressed like a woman past her prime. "Yes, you in the pink top."

"What?"

"Where did you get that top? I love it," she compliments me, stroking my ego. Be wary of the suck-ups Mizuki.

"In a vintage store, outside the city, and thanks." The ginger's eyes suddenly bulge out in sheer surprise.

"Do you live outside the city?"

"Yeah, I'm visiting."

"Are you-lying?"

"What-no! I'm not lying, I'm not an alien or-anything. I'm just visiting!" I insist but she shakes her head in disbelief, her curls bouncing.

"Nobody has been able to enter Grand Palace in a long time and…and you just come in? How is that possible? No, you're just crazy," she assumes and stomps her heels as she struts away. Still baffled and dumbfounded, I just stare at the back of her grandma dress with my arms out.

"What the hell just happened?" I ask myself aloud, still unsure of what just took place. Does she know I'm not from this world? I bite my lower lip. Erick said not to let anyone know that-that's it then, I won't talk to anyone.

"What's her problem?" asks another passerby, a dude with dirty-blonde hair, twenty-two years old, and fair, bumpy skin. Great, just what I need, more attention courtesy of the random, angry ginger.

"I don't even know her and she thinks I'm lying about getting into the city." Even this man is taken aback by what I said. Didn't I say I would stop speaking to people?

"That is-very hard to believe. What city are you from?" Shit, shit, I can't come up with good lies on the spot like this.

"Uh well, it's a city called Metropolis. Yeah, really, really, _really_ far off the map."

"When did you get here?"

"An hour ago."

"Okay that is impossible. Can you show me? This is something I gotta see with my own two eyes you know."

"Fine then!" I agree exasperatedly. "Let's go to where I came from and we'll get to the bottom of this." God, people here are really eccentric. What's with the fascination about me coming into this city? Have they ever had immigrants come here? But it looks pretty diverse here so that doesn't make much sense. "I'm getting tired of this nonsense," I mumble low enough so he doesn't hear. By the time we reach the welcome sign, it's five o' clock and the streets are flooded with people. I turn around to see if I lost him by some miraculous chance but of course he's right behind me, probably used to the crowds like I am. "Now you're going to see me leave." I take a deep breath and shove through the crowds to pass under the sign. As soon I lightly jog, I'm already half-way down the hill and can barely see the stranger. I sprint back up and meet the astonished stranger. "See?" By then I attract the attention of an entire mob.

"No way the barrier-is it finally down?"

"Are we free?"

"Everyone go!" Now I feel Simba in the crowd of stampeding animals. Inevitably, I'm carried out of Grand Palace again but I'm abruptly stopped. As I look to both my sides, I notice that nobody can make it past the overhead welcome sign as if someone built an invisible wall there. People quickly grow upset and bang on the invisible wall furiously. "It's not letting us through!"

"No shit," I mutter and then feeling someone eyeing me, I glance to my right, catching the glare of a ten year old girl.

"It's a lie!"

"She went through," the dirty blonde takes my wrist and pulls it up to signal where I am in the uncontrollable mob. "She made it through!"

"How did you do it?!" someone else demands with a cracking, pubescent voice.

"I walked out that's how," I sigh exasperatedly.

"She must be using something special."

"My legs."

"Take her to the Professor!"

"Yeah he'll know what to do."

"Good idea!" someone starts the unanimous chant. "To the Professor! To the Professor! To the Professor!"

' ' '

"This is a house," I observe, annoyed that I'm even here. The dirty blonde named Richard faces me, rubs his obviously irritated eyes, and replies sharply.

"He lives here, Visitor. What do they call you?"

"I was expecting a laboratory, a university or something. Not a house," I defend my silly observation. "And my name is Mizuki."

"What a foreign name, the Professor will definitely be able to figure you out."

"What if he doesn't?"

"Then people are going to get really resentful. People already are."

"You are too, aren't you?"

"Just envious. Professor, are you in here?" Richard knocks on the door again. The ancient-looking door opens and I nearly choke on my own saliva on seeing who's standing in the doorway.

"Yes Richard, how may I help you-"

"Ohmygod ohmygod, it's you!" I point accusingly with excitement. He ignores my ecstatic pointing and continues to talk to Richard as if I'm not jumping up and down like a kid who can't contain myself-sometimes, I really can't help it.

"Is this about your prescription?"

"No, it's about something totally different. I know this sounds ludicrous but this girl," he stares at me oddly before resuming, "went through the barrier today. I saw her clearly do it, this is no hocus pocus trick of the fog Professor. Dozens of people witnessed it today actually-"

"Say no more, you're sure she is the one you saw?"

"Yes."

"Mizuki, step inside." A bad feeling seizes me when he says my name and has me petrified as I still point at him. "Can I speak with you privately?"

The dream, remember the dream. "Y-yeah."

J.G.P.


	3. Unsettling Sapphire Eyes

What is Odri doing in this world? Last time I saw him he was in the city-no, he was in space. Sleeping so peacefully and soundly that not even my outburst could disturb him. What's happening here and why do I have a terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach? Odri gestures for me to come in and kindly thanks Richard for bringing me to him. "I'll get to the bottom of this Richard, do not fret."

"You've never let us down Professor," Richard replies confidently, waving bye to Odri but not me. Odri shuts the antique door close and takes a deep breath as if he has to physically prepare himself for me.

"Can I start by saying that-wow-you're here and not sleeping. You're awake and-wait, is this another dream?" I wonder, pinching myself to confirm. This is definitely real.

"What are you doing here? How did you get here?"

"Woah, no 'hey' or 'hello'? You do remember me don't you?"

"I do. I'm concerned about how you arrived here."

"I want to know the same about you-you've got a lot of explaining to do!" I point at his chest, trying to divert the unwanted attention from me to him.

"Lower your voice and calm down, will you care to have a seat?" I walk over to the old-fashioned sofa and drop into it, sighing exhaustedly. The décor of this living is really old-fashioned, as if the world outside progressed but this house stayed in the Dark Ages. Odri's no longer wearing monk robes but now is trying to sport a wool dark violet cloak, almost matching his raven hair that's grown past his ears. Something in his sapphire eyes flickers when he sees me scrutinizing him. "How did you arrive here?"

"I took a couple of ferries from Metropolis." I have my lie down packed. "I have the money to splurge so I figured why not see what's out there you know?" I can tell that he knows that that came out of my ass but he nods understandingly.

"I see. Are you aware of the curse that plagues this city?"

"Not really."

"Did you notice anyone old here?" Now that I think about it, nobody in the crowd had a face older than thirty. They were all pretty young and youthful, hell, Richard was in his twenties. But anyway, Odri mentioned the curse that I have to end! I fold my legs and arms, looking like a true business lady. "Go on."

"There's a curse here that prevents anyone from coming the outside and it prevents anyone from leaving. You comprehend everyone's alarm at the notion of you leaving," he explains as if talking to a five year old. "They would be rather distressed."

"And they were." I sit up and add in a serious tone, "they all hate me and I barely know them." Odri tries to quickly place his hand on my back but I catch him and lean back again. He chuckles softly when he sees my "don't you dare touch me or I'll mess you up" glare.

"I'm sure they don't hate you," he assures but there's a trace of sarcasm in that sentence, "they are all just very confused." I suddenly remember the dream that I had this morning, the one where Odri grabbed my arm and seemed very sinister. Although it was only a dream, why do I just want to leave all of a sudden? My gut's never failed me so I'll listen to it. I stretch my arms and check for a watch I don't have on.

"Well, it was nice catching up with you Odri. I'm glad you're ok," I lie, moving towards the door.

"Leaving so soon? Where are you staying?"

"At a motel."

"I can escort you, it wouldn't be proper of me to let a young woman who can break through barriers wander the streets. Come, come I'll take you."

"No, no I got it." I finally manage to make it to the door, God is he stubborn. Does he want to keep me here as his mistress or something? As I grab the handle on the door, I call out, "see ya!"

"Mizuki," his tone is cross and I feel his icy stare. "What's the name of the motel?"

"Odri," I utter with a light chuckle, "it really isn't your business so please _stay out of it_." How many times is this guy going to keep asking?

"I won't visit you, that is my oath, I'm just curious to know which motel you will be bedding at," he insists, actually sounding mildly concerned. Maybe it was just a stupid dream-no Mizuki when you dream, you _predict_ in your own way. I dreamt of finding Haruki in a castle but instead of someone else-just remembering that entire mission makes me want to cut someone up. I followed my gut that time and I messed up badly, I mistook some prisoner for my brother, do I want to do that again? "Mizuki, you haven't answered my question."

"I-I-" I freeze, unable to utter a complete word. Do I lie or do I come clean, I know he wouldn't hate me either way. I should just leave, yeah, I'll go, but he's gonna stop me-I guess there's no other option. "There's no motel to go to-I didn't want to be an inconvenience to you." Instantly I feel his old fashioned cloak around my shoulders.

"That's very kind of you but trust me, you are anything but an inconvenience. You've been through a lot today, you can stay here for the night." I managed to fib well enough but something else is keeping me here-it's really weird.

"Thank you," I turn him and almost jump back 'cuz he's so close to my face. "Uh, can you step out of my space please?" He takes his cloak off my shoulders, leaving me chilled again and gives me his back as if insulted that I didn't want him in my space. I shouldn't make him feel awkward, he's letting me sleep over for free! "So Odri, how did you-" The phone interrupts me obnoxiously. He glances to the phone and hurries over to the phone that came out of the 1800s.

"Yes? I see, I'll be there shortly." He hangs up the phone and scratches his bare chin. "I have to step out for a moment, I apologize. If you want to go up to your room, it's the second door on the left."

"It's six o' clock," I mumble as I get a glimpse of the sky from the window. The sun is burning as bright as it can, which makes it not feel like six o' clock. "Whatever, see you later alligator." Before he leaves he stops to ponder about what I said, and I hear him chuckle and mutter himself, "classic." When he shuts the door and locks it from the outside, I sigh and flop over onto the couch. "'Classic'? What the hell is that supposed to mean? I'm looking too much into it, he probably meant-uh, I don't know." My head dangles off the couch while I view the feng shui of the living room upside down. I wonder if he believes in that kind of stuff. Calmly, I let myself casually sink to the carpet that makes my neck itchy. I scratch my arms and my face as I search for a staircase and when I find it, I reach the second floor.

The grandfather clock's ticking gradually grows louder as I glance at the portraits and paintings hanging down the hall. All of them look as if they date back to the 15th century just like everything else in this old house. If this place doesn't have a computer or anything modern, I will freak out. I open the door to the guest room and groan. The Victorian theme is strong in this bedroom and is sickening-at least this tells me Odri's living the good life in Grand Palace. Now that he left, I can figure out how to get rid of that barrier…or not. When I sit on the bed, I suddenly feel uber drowsy. A quick nap should be fine and then it's back to investigating!

' ' '

"You've already settled in?" Odri's voice lulls me out of my comforting nap. He stands over my bed like an expert voyeur. "Do you take pleasure in the aura of the room?"

"If you're asking if I like the room, then not really," I reply but quickly add, "but it's comfortable and livable."

"What're you implying?"

"It's a joke, relax."

"A jape, I see. Are you ready for supper then?"

"Uh, sure." He helps me get out of bed and leads me downstairs. Still, my wandering mind never ceases to stop inquiring on how and why Odri is here. "Odri how did you get here? I mean, the last time I saw you kinda 'walked into the sunset' so to speak. What happened to you all this time?"

"You are incredibly droll Mizuki, I shall give you that. After I left you, I traveled around the globe to see what your world had to offer and then I grew exhausted so I settled down in this town and lived here, watch yourself, there's a bump here-"

"The question I really want to ask is how come I saw you in space?"

"You saw me in space?"

"I know how ludicrous it sounds but I'm not crazy!" Why did I say that? All crazy people claim not be crazy so he must think I'm crazy. But I know what I saw and that was him sleeping. Besides, his story sounds really strange, how could he have gotten here when he was in Metropolis?

"Perhaps in your slumber you dreamt of me," he says suggestively, making my cheeks flush. "Here there's food on the dining table, you can pick." On the table is a bag of something that smells like Mexican rice mixed with some unidentifiable Spanish cuisine. When I take it out carelessly, I almost burn my hands from reaching from the bottom of the dish. "Being cautious helps Mizuki." I want to tell him to stop saying my name because it creeps me out.

"Right. What is this?"

"The cuisine of Grand Palace, fried arcost and llopo drenched in jeri sauce."

"'K, have no idea what that is but I'll try it. Can I get a fork and knife?"

"None of those here," he says with a smirk as he sits at the head of the table with his plate of fried whatever. "In the primitive time period us homo sapiens used our hands to eat whatever was offered." He digs his hands into plate, spilling some of the arcost on the table but somehow manages to neatly stuff it in his mouth.

After dinner, he gives a night gown that just happened to be lying around in his dresser for me to go to bed. But it's still bright out so heading bed while the sun's out is a little weird. "Can I come in?" Dori asks, knocking on the door.

"Yeah," I reply as I stroke down the night gown. When he comes in in his own set of pinstripe pjs, he ogles me in awe. His blue eyes are brightening the longer he stares at me, it's starting to make me uncomfortable. What do I say? "So I'll be in bed ok?" he remains speechless and dumbfounded. "Ok, so good night!" I walk over to him and slowly push the door with him still in the way. His eyes never leave mine until I completely close the door. As my stomach flips and flutters, I can tell he's still looking at me through the door. What was that all about? I head over to the bed and lay down; the birdhouse clock ticks repeatedly and endlessly as I lay awake thinking about Odri unsettling gaze. No boy has ever looked at me like that before and it makes me feel so-uncomfortable. "Gaah," I groan into the pillow as quietly as I can. I freeze when I hear his footsteps fade from the doorway-meaning that all this time he's been listening to my noise of embarrassment. "What a freak, just like Grey." Grey's a bigger douchebag than the douchebags that went to my old school. Thinking of him makes me feel anything but restful and easy.

J.G.P.


	4. Frozen Time

_It was the one mission that I thought would help me find my brother. I busted him out and was so freakin' happy to know he was alive and well, for the most part. This weird queen wanted me to do some freaky stuff and found me breaking my long-lost brother out. "So traitor, what do you have to say for yourself?" asked the queen accusingly._

_"You took my brother, I didn't have a choice," I answered courageously. "You wanted me to kill innocent people."_

_"Sir McGraw said that you would do whatever you were told. He assured me that you going to obey my every command like a soldier. That makes him a traitor also," she said to herself. "No matter. By the end of this hour, you will be killed for treason against me, Her Royal Majesty-"_

_"Witch," grunted Haruki boldly. "You want me-"_

_"Enough! Guards, keep them until midnight, we will have our own __private__ execution." With her long dress swaying, she turned for the door. The guards moved towards us in sync. One second ago, Haruki was barely hanging on my shoulders and the next, he was directly behind Her Majesty with something shiny pressed against her throat. Not even the apathetic guards had seen that coming. "Move and she's done for."_

_Bewildered at his sudden teleportation and very true threat, they lowered their swords and warily backed away from him. "Get over here," he commanded brusquely. Shocked myself, I made my way through the swarm of guards and stood next to Haruki._

_"How'd you do that?" I lowered my voice so only he could hear me._

_"Follow my lead." He moved backwards towards the door, still holding the dagger to Her Majesty's throat. Who knew my brother was such a badass, even when he was all jacked up from prison-at least that's what I thought. Before I slammed the dungeon door, I yelled, "Don't bother following us. __We'll deliver you her heart!__" A very empty threat, but hey, if it made them shit their pants, then it hadn't been in vain. _

_Like fleeing mice, we ran far away from the castle. At some point, the queen's dress got snagged in a branch and Haruki kicked her and told her to keep her ass moving. And then it happened again, and again. Finally, after an hour of constantly moving, we reached a river Haruki called Hornspike River-a safe distance away from the castle. "There's your river," Queeny pointed at the murky river. "Now will you be couth enough to let me return to the castle?" Her face was smudged from being habitually kicked by Haruki and if anyone happened to stroll by, they'd think we raped her._

_"Yeah and let you send your guards after me, sure," he sarcastically answered. I was thinking the same thing, which made me smile, we were still the same despite the years we spent apart. "We're not just going to let you run back for help."_

_"So what are you going to do, hold me for ransom?"_

_"Shut up." He turned to me. "A word with you." Why wouldn't he just call me by name? Instead, he called me "you" like I was a complete stranger. We retreated from Queeny until we were sure she was out of earshot. "What do you think we should do?"_

_"Haruki there are so many things we have to talk about, so many things I want to say to you," I said nostalgically. "I have so many questions and-" I stopped abruptly, raising my head to the sky. The sunrise spilled burnt orange upon the unfamiliar world and that's when I finally got a good look at Haruki's face. My eyes widened in aghast. "You're…you're __not Haruki__."_

_The stranger shamefully gazed past me and sighed exasperatedly. "No, I'm not."_

_"Asshole!" I punched him in the shoulder, forgetting how weak and malnourished he was from his imprisonment. He nearly fell, just saved by holding onto the rock behind him. "You're a real douchebag! Why would you let me call you my brother when you actually weren't? Huh?" Swiftly, I kicked him in the chest, causing him to grunt in pain._

_"Stop, stop, please," he begged. "There's no-"_

_"That's messed up you-you-uck!" I shook my head violently and gave him my back. I couldn't even look at him without twisting my face. This would happen to me; I thought I finally found my brother and then this shit had to happen. But he was still in my dream-okay technically, Haruki was in my dream getting jailed, but the dream had mirrored what happened to this deceitful clown. Maybe he's important in some way._

_"I'm bleeding," the stranger complained. He sounded like a mouse compared to when he snapped at me earlier. I faced him with my hands on my hips, ready to make him feel like shit. He's right, I gave him a bloody mouth._

_"Why did you lie to me?" he spat blood at my feet. "I'm gonna ask again and this time you're actually gonna answer or else I'm gonna give you more than a bloody mouth."_

_"Oh please, what else can someone like you do?" he snorted, letting his mop-messy, unkempt hair droop over his eye. How did I ever think this clown was my twin? As I reeled my right leg back, he raised his hands in defense. " I just wanted to get out of there, I didn't care how."_

"So you let me just assume you were my long-lost brother?"_ he shrugged. My foot charged into his side._

_"Aaack! Urg…y-yes. I went along with it so you can get me out. But now we're __both__ in trouble because we still have the qu-" With haste and not without a pained grunt, he rose while clenching his new sore spot. "Make sure the queen is still there." Both of us-well, more like me since Lying Douchebag is limping-checked to see if Queeny is where we had left here. The river didn't moved, only Queeny._

_"Shit!" I glanced around frantically until I spotted something long and golden swishing towards the direction we originally had come from. "Over there." I ran after her, unfortunately, putting me at the same speed as the limping runner. _

If I ever see that guy ever again I would kill him. I've killed dozens of Heartless before, snapping his neck would be no problem for me or using my Byakugan eyes to make him suffer for getting my hopes up so high and toying with my heart like that. I can't get over him, it's sickening-I just hate him so much. How long have I been lying awake, I always know how long I've been daydreaming but I really don't know this time. Well I'm sure Odri's passed out by now. I get up, tip-toe towards the door, and press my ear to it. _Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, chiiing. Chiiing…chiiing…chiiing_ is all I hear in the hallway, God there's so many old clocks in this house. I turn to the window with a mischievous smile curling.

' ' '

The humidity is making my hair frizz up as if I'm under a giant light bulb. In vain I fervently stroke my hair down as I skulk away from Odri's antique home. I doubt Odri would have let me out even if I begged and kissed him, wait ew! Why would I think about doing that, just 'cause of that long stare before I shut the door on him? Whatever, I've snuck out of the house and now I can investigate this place. So it apparently prevents people from leaving or entering this city but I'm the exception probably 'cuz I'm not from this world. I really hope Odri believed that lie-hey, he lied to me before just like everyone else does. He lied about being a monk-ok, I assumed that so I can't say that he lied to me. I'm just relieved that I'm out of that house, those clocks were so annoying.

As I cross the street without waiting for my signal to turn green, I spot a kid twelve years old walking with a younger kid. They look indigenous to Grand Palace, they look a good place to start. "Hey excuse me kids, can I talk to you for a second?" They shoot daggers at me with their eyes.

"It's you! The one that left this cursed city!" the older boy scornfully says. His younger friend squints at me through the yellow street light and confirms it with a nod.

"What do you want?"

"Woah chill out, being mad at me isn't going to do anything for you. Besides you should be more respectful towards people older than you, those are called manners. Get some," I retort impatiently, storming past them furiously.

"These aren't our real ages!" replies the older one as I pace farther away from them. I roll my eyes, dismissing the frivolous comment. Why would he blurt something as stupid as that? He's just trying to mess with me that's all. I barely brush past another pedestrian blindly and stop to apologize. "Sorry about that."

"You think because you can leave that makes you better than me?" demands the dark seventeen year-old woman. "Does it?"

"When did I imply that? I just said I was sorry-uuuuugh! Forget it!" I throw my arms in the air exasperatedly and continue to storm down the sidewalk. I slam my fist on the side of a pharmacy being sure to hit the bricks and not the glass. Talking to anyone here besides Odri and Richard will get me nowhere, everyone just hates me for being able to break through the barrier. Where is Richard, I'm sure he would be kinder than the rest of his fellow Grand Palacians. Someone taps on my shoulder, ready to curse me out I bet. "Just leave me alone!"

The woman who I can barely see through the dim street light recoils in fear. "S-sorry I-I didn't mean-any-sorry." It's the first woman who I spoke to when I first got here who thought I was crazy.

"Something you want to get off your chest just like everyone else?"

"I met you earlier."

"Yeah you thought I was a lunatic but now I proved myself to be an asshole because I can get through the barrier."

"Right," she affirms sheepishly, switching her bag of prescriptions to her left hand nervously. "I just want to ask you, how old are you?"

"Why?" I wonder why she would ask me that question.

"It might confirm something for me. Will you take a walk with me, uh…"

"Mizuki," I finish glumly as I join her side. Some sort of smile forms on her mouth as if it's taking her energy to make a smile. "And I just turned fourteen three months ago." Before responding she scrutinizes me as if she's tentative about my answer but then believes me.

"That's the truth, you really look like it." From her black jacket, she pulls out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. "Do you want one?"

"I'm fourteen," I reiterate for emphasis. "And you're three years older than me." She snorts, brings the cigarette to her lips, and covers it from the faint breeze. The woman plays with the lighter 'cuz it doesn't seem to be working properly. "Damn it." Finally, the eleventh click gets the flame to come out and she lights her end of the cigarette. Silently she inhales, pulls it out, and exhales a foul-smelling smoke. "That's amazing, you guessed my frozen age."

"Frozen age?"

"Yeah," she sighs emptily. "When the barrier came up, I was only seventeen years old and I've remained like this for so many years. I'm actually twenty-five years old believe it or not. Here's my place, let's sit on the steps." We take our seats on the rough steps of her apartment building right across the street from a closed beauty salon. "All the teenagers and kids you've seen walkin' 'round here like they own the place aren't who they look to be. They're all grown adults who left puberty behind a while ago. But it's the barrier that keeps us frozen."

"So everyone that lives in Grand Palace is young forever?"

"Unfortunately yeah. I mean it's kind of a good thing 'cuz nobody ever has to truly grow up but," the young lady puffs out more smoke that make my eyes tingle, "when you think about it, it really is a curse. I mean who the hell wants to stay stuck like this for the rest of their lives? You're only starting-the raging hormones, sexual frustration, and the horniness. Who wants to keep living like that you know? You know I had a dream about getting out of here and getting a job elsewhere, maybe Jasper Groove-where did you say you were from?"

"Uh, that's not important, go on." I know when it's time to shut up and the time to speak out and blurt how I really feel. The young dreamer puts her cigarette next to her feet and digs her shoe into it as a thin trail of smoke emits from it.

"That dream is gone now because I'm perpetually seventeen and can never leave Grand Palace. I wanted to grow up, find someone to settle down with and start a family. You'd have to be stupid to think you can handle all that at seventeen so don't even think about it at fourteen!"

"Wow, that really sucks. I guess it makes sense for everyone to hate me." The lady hums thoughtfully as she takes out another cigarette and the lighter.

"I don't hate you, I'm just jealous. You can be whatever you want and do whatever you want and you don't have to stay here forever. Time is really messing with this town. You're one blessed kid and don't ever forget it Mizuki."

"Do you hear that?" I wonder as I listen to the footsteps hastily coming nearer to us.

J.G.P.


	5. The Truth Behind the Clocks

The smoker smiles at the upcoming stranger who seems to be in some hurry. When he steps into the light I shrink back. "Good evening Miranda, how are you?" Odri asks charmingly, disregarding me freaking out. How the hell did he find me here, I got so far away from him! It's like he's got a tracker on me or something. While talking to Miranda, I pat myself down inconspicuously for a tracking chip.

"I've been better, I was just talking to Miz here about things in this accursed city," she replies bitterly. "Why are you up at this hour?"

"I'm here to retrieve my house guest, that's all," he smiles at me even though his stern eyes are saying "you're in a shitload of trouble". Miranda shrugs and puts the cigarette in her mouth and blows a puff of smoke away from Odri's face. Now that he's so close to me I can see every pore on his face, every hair of his stubble, and his sharp jawline. "Mizuki are you ready?"

"Yeah. Bye Miranda," I weakly wave at Miranda as I sullenly walk behind Odri, sending her a look of helplessness but it's too dark for her to see it. Odri and I cross the street in heavy silence, passing the park and a couple of closed-down delis until we reach his home. As he takes the keys out, I get the guts to ask him, "How did you find me?"

"I'm not going to answer that before you answer my question. Why did you sneak out?" Should I be so brutally honest as to tell him that being in this house makes me feel ill? Do I say that seeing his face and hearing him utter my name makes me cringe? I could say it right now-but nothing comes out. "I'm waiting."

"I-you-I've got nothing to say."

"Are you that ashamed? You always have a clever remark to retort with." He opens the door and stiffly gestures me inside as opposed to how warm and formal he is. I'm back in the house with all the ticking and the smell of freshly-lit incense. "Is that your family?"

"What?"

"In your pocket." Before I can accuse him of being a creep, I check my side pocket and realize that my pocket photo of my family is sticking out a little but well enough to see my parents' faces. I pull it out and wistfully stare at the family that will never be mine. No, what am I thinking, of course we'll be that happy family again, it's just going to take a while.

"Yeah this is my family. My mom, my dad, me, and my twin brother."

"You look so young," he says softly with a chuckle.

"I was three years old when they took this picture of us. You probably haven't seen the young boy?"

"Are you looking for him?"

"Yeah he got taken away from me a long time ago and I'm still looking for him." Why am I telling him all this? Probably because I feel really guilty about sneaking out, I guess the least I can do is give him the courtesy of letting him understand my roots. "Have you seen him?"

"My condolences but I have not," he humbly bows his head a bit but then I see a suppressed smirk creep on his face.

"What?" I ask curtly. Here I am telling him my life story and now he's smirking? Now I feel like an idiot for tell him that, I shouldn't have said anything. I put the picture back in my pocket and fold my arms defensively while I scowl at him.

"You're from another world," guess Odri out of nowhere.

"What do you mean?" I try hiding my surprise with my scowl but he's definitely seeing through it.

"Everyone in that photo is not from here, Mizuki. Everyone in that photo, including you, is not indigenous to this planet. I'm not as stupid as you think I am." His lenient tone grows harsh and cold and that's enough to make me back off. He knows my secret and now he's gonna tell everyone about it.

"I'm gonna head upstairs now, good night," I hastily go upstairs without responding to his observation. I'm so embarrassed and humiliated, I'll just lock myself in his room for the entire night.

"Try not to ponder your escape."

"When you put it like that, you make this place feel like prison," I retort when I reach the top of the stairs.

* * *

This is not how she should be reacting to me. I take my seat by the bookshelf and look for a book that's tickling my brain for this moment but nothing is striking my fancy. Exasperatedly, I dig my head into my palm and sigh deeply. She should feel the same way about me the way I do about her-Mother and Uncle have told me this so why is she repulsed by me? Could it be that she hasn't properly been prepared the way I have? That's why she doesn't look at me the way I look at her. When she was in that gown I was awestruck. I couldn't stop staring at how exquisite her body looked and I assumed she was going to do _something_ when she came to the door, but all she did was shut the door in my face. I've managed to keep a calm façade when she's around but my desires and urges are evidently appalling her. Be it what it would, she does share my feelings, she _must_. On the morrow, maybe I should remind her of her duties.

I pull the lamp switch off and reach for the candleholder on the shelf. With a nearby match, I light the candle and I get a glimpse of the yellow-eyed Heartless rising from the floor behind me, sensing my Dark aura. Such thoughtless creatures that they need me for guidance, they truly are the Darkness born from people's hearts that crave power, the power that I hold inside me.

' ' '

Mizuki hungrily devours her breakfast on the table with her bare hands. To her this household must feel like an antique. "Hey Odri."

"Yes?"

"Do the clocks in here work?"

"Evidently they do. Can't you hear the ticking and chimes?"

"I can hear them but-never mind, it's stupid." She continues to eat the rest of the sloppy oatmeal I made for her. I stare at her back, wondering why she would ask me that. Is she becoming aware of the stillness of time and space in this city? That means her inner power is starting to awake.

"Nothing you have to say is ever 'stupid'," I reply as I stretch my arms out on the headrests of the sofa. I hear the bowl _cling _when she places it back down on the table; her face is an oatmeal mess, it's quite cute. "You can get a wet cloth in the kitchen behind the counter."

"Thanks," she says skeptically, stepping into the kitchen. I look out the window, the same sky that I've seen for a couple of years already. The same cloud formations, the same sun trying to reclaim its dominion over the firmament, and the same grey clouds that cover the sun, it never gets. "Dude none of the clocks work in here."

"Why do you say that? I think they're in perfect shape." I hum along to the ticking.

"It feels like 12 o' clock."

"You woke up late because you had to explore the night," I counter matter-of-factly while watching the skies. "Were you looking for that fabricated motel?" I can see her reflection of gritting her teeth in the window. Already I've upset her-she shouldn't be that way towards me.

"I was talking to Miranda about this city's cursed barrier and-how old are you?" she abruptly asks.

"Do you know why they call this city Grand Palace? Myths have said that once there was a mulatto conquistador who found this land before anyone else could set a flag down. The pale-faced natives here, who had never seen someone like that before, worshipped him as a god. They built statues and made rudimentary artwork of this god but he didn't want of those. He wanted a structure that would be seen from space, an edifice that can be recognizable and that would let the world know of his splendor. So he and the natives built a palace in eleven years, but no-it wasn't grand enough. They tore it down and remade a larger version of the palace. The conquistador was not satisfied and after one hundred and twenty-five years, generations later, they built a palace that covered 78% of the land we're on. Obviously he didn't live to be that old and he had sons and daughters that continued his work but when his last daughter died, a terrible tempest which lasted for one week obliterated the entire palace. To keep the legend alive, the new generation of people built the grand buildings you see by the by, and renamed this place Grand Palace." When I conclude the myth, I turn to Mizuki who has a less than pleased visage. Her brown eyes seem lighter than the first time I saw her in Metropolis and her hair is still frizzed from last night.

"So how old are you?" she persists intensely.

"Biologically, ten and five." Her eyebrows furrow, concentrating on my facial features. Perhaps she is having mutual feelings towards me now. But suddenly she gasps, stepping back cautiously.

"You're not from this world. You're-like me," she realizes in aghast.

"Correct."

"That's why you're not affected by the barrier, that's your real age-but you feel older-"

"Why should a man feel affected by his own barrier?"

"Because you're not from this world-" she lets my question sink in and then steps back again. "Wait, what? _Your __own_?" I nod wordlessly. "You cursed the city?"

"Yes," I reply firmly. Conflict is on its way; I stand up and approach Mizuki. "But I did not 'curse' the city. These people saved me after I departed your world and I'm returning the favor. With my cosmic knowledge of all these different worlds, I've become their professor, their savior, their god." Mizuki's visage doesn't concur.

"You're making their lives miserable! All they want to do is grow up into normal adults and have a bright future and you're keeping that away from them. You're insane, there's seriously something wrong with you," says Mizuki fervently.

"I find that hard to believe," I disagree. "Why would anyone want to grow old and blow away in dust?"

"That's normal life, man! Nobody wants to be young forever," protests Mizuki. I'm protecting them from the dangers of the outside worlds-old age, illnesses, and they remain unhappy-those ingrates. "How do I destroy the barrier?"

"Please see reason Mizuki-"

"Shut up. If you value your life, you're going take down the barrier."

"Is that a threat?"

"You bet it is."

J.G.P


	6. My Fragile Family

I understand that it's normal for a natural mortal like her to feel this way about ruining the flow of time and space, but Mizuki isn't reacting the way I expected her to. Bringing her here was a mistake, a regrettable error, a miscalculation. As I study her tomato-colored face, I realize that she needs to be told the truth of her origins but not. I need to plant the seed of doubt so I can dim out her light. "Mizuki, you're not going to touch me, let alone harm me."

"You wanna bet?" snorts Mizuki confidently.

"I'm keeping the denizens immortal. I'm doing them a favor-I'm bestowing upon them a power that people would die for and you're disagreeing with me. Think about it Mizuki, no mortal welcomes death with open arms," I begin to pace fervently, gesturing with my arms, "These people helped me-"

"-and in return you curse them. Did you ever think that your ideals are completely screwed up?" she shakes her head as if she's processing everything I told her. "Wow, you're actually being serious about everything. You don't know what's best for anyone here, I've been here for a day and I know what they really want-yeah they hate me 'cuz they wish they could grow up and leave this place like I can but you're messing everything up, why can't you see that you twisted freak!?" Flabbergasted at the insult hurled at me, I stop pacing. This is how she really feels about me-then that means she's far from tapping into her cosmic gifts. "Just take down the barrier or I'll force you to."

"Lower your voice, shouting is unnecessary."

* * *

Odri closes his eyes and raises his left hand to the ceiling. He mutters a Latin chant that I can't understand and closes his hand as if crushing an insect in his palm. Ubiquitous shattering of glass pierces my eardrums and is loud enough to have me cowering on the floor; the shattering must be coming from outside, like a million of hailstones breaking through a glass dome. When I look up at Odri, nothing in the house changes-I expected some sort of earthquake to shake the house but everything seems fine indoors. The chimes of the grandfather clocks upstairs and downstairs all go off at once along with the cuckoo clocks in the kitchen and in my guest room. When I push past Odri, still in a trance, I gaze out the window, the same clouds from yesterday are finally gone and the sun is finally out. Someone bangs on the door impatiently; I hear Odri sigh exhaustedly from his little spell and goes to answer the door, trying to look as composed as possible. "Ye-"

"Professor look at me! I'm not twenty anymore!" I stand behind Odri, peeking over his shoulder. The face of a forty year old man greets Odri, not seeing me behind him. Meanwhile in the streets, there are people cheering and declaring, "the barrier is down!" "there is a god in this world," "our curse has been lifted," and "we're saved." The blonde man who I recognize to be Richard from yesterday scratches his beard proudly with a grin. "How are you Professor?"

"Just fine." The underlying bitterness in his tone goes undetected by the much older Richard. "The barrier did break."

"Oh thank the heavens, this is a wonderful time-say Professor, do you think it has to do with that girl coming through the barrier?" asks Richard, still not seeing him. Dori stands up straighter so that he doesn't, which is making me really suspicious.

"He-"

"I'm unsure about that," replies Odri with a light chuckle. "I have things to study now Richard, continue celebrating." He gently, but quickly shuts the door and I hear the lock click. I put my hands up defensively as he faces me. "It occurs to me that you don't know many things about me Mizuki." He paces over to the dining room table, examining the spots of oatmeal I left behind. "There are also many things you don't know about yourself."

"Uh-huh well then, surprise me," I snap, putting my hands on my hips. He digs through his combed back hair and leans back on the chair.

"My name is not Odri, it's Dori and I am not a mere mortal such as yourself but something _better_. Would you care to know why? The two 'people' you met in space that one night in January were my creators. I was born from time itself."

"Now you've lost it."

"Allow me to finish. I was born from an essence of time so that only makes me part mortal. Although we are nearly the same opposites, your birth wasn't extraordinary like mine. I remember watching what happened to you and your fragile family-you should blame all your woes and pain on your foolish mother." A monster made of anger and rage awakens inside me at the mention of my mother.

"You were watching-were you there? I'm not gonna let you disrespect my mom like that, freak!" I scream, my arms trembling in anger as that monster wants to come out.

"I wasn't there when it happened but I-"

"I don't care-my mom has nothing to do with where I am right now!"

"She isn't? Enlighten me, who is to blame for your unhappiness, your loneliness, your isolation? Your father? No, he acted like any average mortal man would." Can he read minds? It's as if he's been burrowing inside my heart for the past decade, watching me go about my day. "Trust me, I know more about you than you do and think about it. If your mother hadn't disappeared then you wouldn't have had to move to Japan. If you weren't in Japan well then you wouldn't have met me. I saw how depressed you were at your fake home and in school, how you would forlornly gaze out the window and wish to leave that hellhole called home." He grows more passionate as he continues. "I did more than see your sadness, I felt it Mizuki-that's why I took you out of there-"

"You-!" I recall my discussion with Erick about why my world became prey to Heartless, _"The black door means that your world has been 'marked' by the Heartless… see, when the black door is opened, the Heartless have a way of entering. Only someone with vile Darkness can open the door." _Everything is beginning to become clear but it's only enraging the metaphorical monster inside me. "You opened the door. You're the reason I lost everything I had-'cuz I was feeling sad?! You-you-you're justifying bringing evil into the world-my world-taking everything from me, with that excuse?"

"'Everything you had'?" he springs from the table furiously, his sapphire eyes burning into mine. "You had nothing in Japan but depression and isolation, I took you out of that. I opened the door for you Mizuki, all for your benefit."

"What benefit was that?"

"To make you a stronger person," replies Dori as if it all makes sense in his ignorant head, "you had to be stronger for me. I took you out of your comfort zone and brought you to a new world. To awaken your gifts, I gave you a Chaos Emerald made entirely for you-"

"I almost died because of that Chaos Emerald, son of a bitch!" I lunge at Dori with my fist held high but he instantly vanishes into thin air. As I frantically search the room for him, I hear him from the staircase.

"I helped you awaken the Byakugan eyes that give you the power to see everything, a gift that isn't even yours. Your safety you is all because of me-"

"Shut up!" I cry out with stinging eyes and brandishing arms. "I can't listen to this anymore-_just stop, just stop_." I let my head drop and let a tear fall down from my face. Look at me, I look so stupid crying like this, stop it already. But this imposter, this unlovable person, this spawn of Satan is hurting me and I can't take it, I want to wrap my hands around his throat and beat him as he suffocates to death. He knows something about my mom and maybe about Haruki. "Now you're answering my questions-what happened to my mother?"

"Evelyn received her punishment." What gives him to say her first name so freely like that? It's really pissing me off and he can see that, he's enjoying it. "And to think if it wasn't for her, Haruki would still be here."

"What did you say about-how did you-" the monster twirls and spins inside me and makes me lunge for him again but the same thing happens. Then a foot lands in my back and sends my face to the window; I hear a crack as I slump to the floor. It doesn't hurt as much as I expected to; Dori stands over me with a less-than pleased visage.

"You told me to answer your inquiries but you're attacking me," he complains as if surprised I would. "You can't expect me not to fight back."

"Where's my brother and my mom? You know where they are!"

"Your brother died a year ago," he replies curtly. "As for Evelyn, you can figure out that one."

"My brother-?"

"Deceased, Mizuki. Your search is over."

"No," I whimper, giving him my back and covering my mouth so he doesn't hear me sob. I never found him, I failed him and my mom. What kind of daughter am I, what kind of sister am I? My eyes close, letting loose more tears. I didn't just sit there when I lost my world, I trained myself and did these missions 'cause I still thought I could find both of them after all these years. But there was no need for any of that because I had already lost my family, Dad was right. I'm a failure, a terrible daughter, and a horrible sister. The angry monster in me dies and burrows in my heart, becoming an sore ache in my chest. "I thought-I don't know." When I wipe the last tear from eyes I pick my head up and a grandfather clock with white, spaghetti arms and Darkness, black-covered face with yellow eyes and a zig-zag mouth grins down at me; the Heartless symbol can't be mistaken as it's embedded on the rusty pendulum.

"I want to see how strong you've gotten. These Heartless are under my control," says Dori with his hands extended past the grandfather Heartless, showing no emotion towards my pain. A sphere of Darkness swirls and two more grandfather clock Heartless step out proudly, grinning at me creepily. Does he care that I'm hurting right now, that I'm in no mood to do anything but sob and wallow in my self-pity?

I fly back into the window as I'm repeatedly jabbed in the chest, successfully smashing it. I feel the shard fragments on my back but my adrenaline coats the pain. I didn't even see the Heartless attack me but I obviously felt their punches. The Heartless waddle towards me gradually, surrounding me. Shaking out the fragments from under my shirt, I slowly rise to my feet and shut my puffy eyes, activating the Byakugan eyes. Reopening them, I see the same purple chakra in their systems that I saw in that thief's body. Seeing a white node on the middle one, I strike at the center, landing an easy blow as it topples down to the floor. Dori wants me to prove myself, fine I will-but what's the point? I was supposed to stay alive to find my family-Haruki is gone and my mother "received her punishment". Abruptly, I fly towards Dori but he side-steps out of the way and I crash onto the floor face-first. Although I can't see his face, only Dori's raging purplish-crimson chakra coursing through his body, I can feel his cold, condescending stare on me. "I will always hate you," I mutter.

"Nothing is set in stone," he replies cryptically with his icy eyes freezing me on the floor for a second. When I touch my warm, moist lip, blood gets on my finger. I struggle to get to my feet and when I eventually do, I face the approaching Heartless dauntlessly. If I couldn't save my brother, the least I could do is save myself, it's my only choice right now. I choke back a sob, afraid of Dori mocking me in my vulnerable state.

"You're gonna tell me…what happened to my family when I beat them, swear on it," I tell him sternly as I wipe the blood from my lips, not taking my eyes off the Heartless.

"So be it." I charge for Heartless boldly as they all mockingly grin at me. They're the reason I lost everything and when I get through them, I'm heading straight for Dori.

J.G.P


	7. The Seed of Doubt

My body does a 360 as I smash into the enthusiastically-chiming grandfather clock. I bump my head against the pendulum when I roll onto the floor. When I slowly touch my face, it burns as if people are shoving candles to my face, trying to burn it off. Crap, there's blood on my fingers, I hope glass didn't get stuck in my face, I'm sure I look bad enough with all these zits here.

How am I supposed to fight back when there's no one left to fight for? He said Haruki died, I couldn't save him-I couldn't save Mom either. What's the point of staying alive at this point? I fought through all these different worlds 'cause I always hoped I would find my family and bring us all back home. But I'm an idiot and I deserve to die by the hands of these Heartless and Dori-the one who got me into this mess, the one who opened the black door, the one who saw into my heart and felt the sadness I had, the one who basically kept me captive here, the one who deliberately almost got me killed, and the asshole who knows what happened to my family while I'm laying here being a stupid girl. He's going to tell me what happened to them if I get out of this alive, he swore.

* * *

She hasn't been properly prepared. This is a fight Mizuki will lose, why was I foolish enough to think otherwise? I was given a mortal brain to think with but I let my imagination and dreams run rampart She can't die yet, I should force the Heartless to disappear now. From Mizuki's throat, a loud grunt echoes throughout the house as the triumphant cheers continue outside. There are a few scrapes and blotches of blood on her nose and cheeks with some dark remnants of acne, her frizzy hair flattened but tussled when she crashed into my clock. Her eyes are still tense, veins pulsating towards them, and pale as the clouds, does she plan on exacerbating this chaos? "Raaaaaa!" She charges at the time-freezing Heartless and jabs through its glass and jabs its pendulum, causing it to shriek as it fades into purple mist, releasing a heart. The second Heartless freezes time again, ceasing her next attack. Her face is frozen in a furious, determined glare at the monster. The clock Heartless swings its lanky arm, hitting her multiple times and sending her straight for me. I catch her as we slam into the staircase and slump to the floor. My mortal emotions are taking over-I can feel my palms getting drenched in sweat. She shakes her head and angrily shrugs my arms off her shoulders.

"You should-" my suggestion is swallowed by Mizuki's cry of resolve as she lunges for the next Heartless, understanding where its soft spot lies and stabbing its pendulum with her fingers. I'll give her that, she catches on quickly in the heat of battle. The final Heartless stops time just as its comrade turns into a puff of smoke and another crimson heart is released. As it raises its arm to swing Mizuki away, something spectacular happens-something that I could have never have predicted. She breaks out of time's hold on her and faces the last Heartless, repeatedly and rapidly jabbing its pendulum as if the blood of the Byakugan clan has been transfused in her since birth. How her arms move so fervently but leniently; she's getting stronger and quickly. My eternal rival does stand a chance against the forces of time and space but not now. She needs to grow stronger and I need to keep testing her, no matter how much she'll detest me for it but will eventually share the same feelings I have. Sooner than Uncle and I could have assumed, she is absorbing power at an incredible level-she can already break through time's hold on her.

"Hit me now!" she cries out to the faded-away Heartless. Her palms open as she turns around to face me with austere scorn. "What happened to my family? You swore."

"You're-you are stronger than I realized," I gasp in awe. Her quick fist slams me headfirst into the table but I catch myself. I spit out blood and groan while picking myself up. "So much stronger."

"TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED!" she attempts to hit me again but I push myself out of the way. "Tell me! Tell me what happened! Tell me what happened!" she swings clumsily as I swiftly move out of the way. "Just tell me what happened to them! You swore-TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED!" when she essays a jab at me I hear her sigh quietly and collapse to the floor in front of my feet. I have confidence in our future Mizuki, you're almost ready.

I bend down to stroke her hair and she softly moans. You'll learn to want me.

* * *

A crowd of black blurs surround me, they're Heartless, all of them. I throw my hands at them, keeping them away, I feel them touching me. These things-these evil Heartless. "Get away from me."

"…axe….sss…urt…"

"You touch me you die!" They press harder down on my arms, stopping me from attacking. "Let me go or else I'll-!" The blurs become more defined-I can see now, they're faces, middle-aged _human_ faces. I can't recognize anyone but they look genuinely concerned for me. All at once they're talking to me, asking me questions about the mess in the house and the "Professor". "He swore to tell me the truth, where is he?" I demand groggily.

"He disappeared," answers a man behind the circle of concerned strangers. "The Professor is gone." Of course he's gone, why would he honor his swear? That lying douchebag-are all boys like this? I'm starting to lose hope in the opposite sex.

"What's going on?" A million people answer me at once. "One at a time!"

"Miranda heard a lot of noise when she passed by the Professor's home and she knocked on the door but nobody answered. She got me to come over and I banged on the door but no one opened. Falan got worried with all the screaming we heard and the broken window and he broke the door down and you were-"

"-passed out like a drunk at a club," Miranda says softly as if I'm experiencing a hangover, upside from my view. "What happened in here?"

"Dori. He-" it occurs to me that no one in this group would believe me. They revere Dori, everyone loves him here-they call him the Professor because he's so freakin' smart and nice to all them and they all admire him for his knowledge. If I say that he summoned Heartless and tried to kill me, who the hell is going to believe that their talented, generous, omniscient teacher would do that to a foreigner? "I don't remember."

"Somebody get some hydrogen peroxide and cotton balls," orders a grey-bearded man kneeling beside me to another dude in the circle. "Wait, you're saying you don't remember anything?"

"I just remember D-Professor making me oatmeal and then everything goes black." Two women, forty-five and fifty years old, apply the alcohol-drenched cotton ball to my face, forcing me to bite down on my lip so that I don't scream. I inhale sharply, closing my eyes as the alcohol stings different spots on my face.

"So you don't remember a thing?" Miranda asks, putting Band-Aids on my face. I can recognize her even though her true, aged face has been restored 'cuz of the destruction of the barrier. "What about Professor? Where did he go, did something happen to him?"

"How many times do I have to say it? Everything's black and fuzzy."

' ' '

"I'm impressed Mizuki. Here's your payment for eradicating the curse," Erick places the fat envelope on the desk with my name on it. "You came back with scrapes and bruises, how are you feeling?"

"Ok," I lie as I put the fat envelope in my pocket. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You can take a day off tomorrow you want."

"I'm ok, just dandy," I sarcastically answer as I look away from his burdening dark eyes. There's nothing I want to talk about with him, so don't say a damn word Mizuki. I don't want to get him of all people involved in my own mess, he doesn't really care about any of my wellbeing, he sees me as a source of work and nothing more. So I'm not gonna stand here and bawl and expect him to provide me with any solace.

"You don't look fine. Did something happen to you on the mission?" persist Erick calmly. I squeeze my eyelids shut, taking in a deep breath to stop my bottom lip from shaking and the tears from falling. If I cry, I'll make a fool out of myself in front of Erick and that's not what I want to do. But why do I care at this point? The family I thought was within my reach is gone, I should've listened to my dad. He knew that there was no point in searching for them but I didn't get the memo and now I don't know why I bothered fighting for so long. Maybe I should just end it all, my purpose in living has gone up in smoke, just like everything else. "I strongly suggest that you take the day off tomorrow. You don't look too well."

"I'm fine," I insist. "Don't treat me like I'm some little kid who doesn't know any better 'cuz I do!" Or maybe I don't know any better and I won't ever return to this musty office ever again. Maybe I'll meet my brother tonight-I won't ever have to see Erick, Risa, or blue-haired Mia again. Only my family will be waiting for me tonight.

"I know that look on your face, hmm, all too well. I didn't think you were the kind of person," I storm towards the door as my eyes sting, "who would give up so easily." As I squeeze the doorknob, I take in a deep breath and freeze. He doesn't know, why would he know? I didn't tell him, did I? "I had the same look on my face years ago when I ended up here. I figured that it would be easy to drown myself and escape it all. But on the brink of madness I stopped myself."

"Why?" I surprise myself by asking, looking at him through my peripheral vision. He shrugs, leaning back.

"I wanted to live despite everything. I don't really know, but it's something that you and Mia and Risa have." I face him completely, no longer caring about the warm tears streaming down my face. "You three still have hope you'll get home and maybe I do too, deep down in the deepest pits of my heart. I've met all kinds people who have come from different worlds who gave up too quickly-you don't seem like the type who would."

"B-but everyone's dead, everyone died," I whimper, slumping against the wall. "There's no point anymore." I cover my eyes while I snivel humiliatingly. "There's no point."

"Who died? Mia, Risa?"

"Not them."

"Who? Do you want to tell me?" I shake my head but after two minutes of bawling and sniffling, I explain what happened to my mom and my brother eleven years ago, me moving away from my main home, and my miserable life in Tokyo. I also explain Dori bringing my world down by opening the black door and being the cause of all of my problems and what he told me about my missing family members. "And you believe him so willingly why?"

"He's really powerful and smart, of course he's telling the truth," I snap as I squeeze my aching temple, my head pounding from all the crying. "He wouldn't lie about that."

"Who's to say he isn't lying about all that?"

"He would-would he? I don't know-"

"Exactly. It's that uncertainty that should stop you from giving up, right? It's the uncertainty of going back home and remaining here that keeps me living and doing this job. How bout it?" After wiping all kinds of liquid off my face, I ponder what he said in silence for five minutes. Then he waves me off casually. "Have a nice night." When I leave, I cross my arms and see my misty breath as I walk among the citizens of Metropolis. Dori lied about his name and other stuff, why wouldn't he lie about this information? Boys are all jerks and liars anyway, what should I believe then? Rubbing my arms, I stop at the cross light as the red hand glares at me and traffic continues. Do I continue?

I get back to the hotel, immediately going into the bathroom to wash my pimple-covered face. All this stress is making me break out, I don't need any of this. In the mirror, I stare at the bathtub, imagining myself drowning in it, legs thrashing around as I gasp desperately for breath. It would be an ugly scene in here, the workers seeing my dead body in the bathtub, cleaning down the tub and sanitizing it and stuff. "It's stupid," I sigh, lowering my head and drying my face but then staring at the tub again, realizing that my only escape from everything here is less than three feet away from me. All I have to do is turn the handle, plug up the water and stick my head in, it's that simple. Haruki might be waiting for me.

J.G.P


	8. Epilogue, The Inevitable Future

"Mother, how long will it take for her to want me?"

"_She has made you impatient." _

"No!"

"_And high-strung,"_ adds Uncle indifferently. _"If we were mortals, we would find this amusing."_

"_That is where you and I differ,"_ comments Mother, looking to her left. "_This is problematic, not amusing but this was something I foresaw and it will only grow worse for you my son."_

"How Mother? Although Mizuki has gained significant power, her power obviously does not match mine, otherwise she would feel the same way I feel," I reply, ignoring Uncle's comments.

"_Yes but she will eventually lust after you. I can see it," _she closes her eyes, standing limply without any gestures. Sometimes I wonder how Time can remain in a human form but not feel the things that I feel, like the sadness in Mizuki's heart after losing her family, the fear in her eyes when I told her what I had done to the people from that world, and her anguish when I planted the seeds of doubt into her mind.

"Mother I know I've asked you this-" I feel color come to my cheeks-the human feeling of embarrassment "Can't you tell me what is to come?" she hums and locks her glowing azure eyes into my dark ones. Of all the forms she could've been, why did she choose this female form?

"_I have said before-I choose not to see what is to come in the future, I want it to be a surprise. I'm tired of being able to peek into the future and foretell the fortune of these fragile worlds." _For a second, Time sounds as mortal as Mizuki does, tired and forlorn. But neither Time nor Space can hold human emotions and feelings, I'm the only non-mortal that can.

"_Hopefully a surprise for you,"_ Uncle tells me smugly. If he could smile, he would be smirking. _"How long will you need Dori? These are my worlds he's infecting and Mizuki was only able to repair the damage for one of them."_

"_In time Space, you are too impatient."_

"_Time, it was you that created him and said he would save us for the inevitable future concerning Mizuki and Haruki. Do you still see that future?"_ she nods. _"Then what has your 'son' been doing? Is this all for nothing?"_

"_Dori has been making sure that the lost siblings never reunite with one another. Now will you lend him more of your powers? If they were to ever meet, Dori would have no worlds to infect. The worlds you created will plummet into darkness so deep that light will never be able to reach them."_

"_No need for a reminder,"_ he says, the human feeling of doubt and reluctance hinted in his tone as he extends his hand over my head. Instantly, I feel a surging sensation over me, my body feels enriched by Space's mere palm. What a wonderful feeling, I only wish that Mizuki would become just as powerful as fast as I am becoming. Mizuki had the audacity to face me fearlessly and scream at me but fear will shut her up the next we meet in the near future.

J.G.P

**And that's a wrap, I hope it was good, sorry it took a century to update. Please tell me what you guys think and have a nice day!**


End file.
